Poll: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
Not Counting Non-Readers, the Average Person Read Seven Books Last Year
Twenty-five percent of Americans did not read a single book last year. Not about Harry Potter, not a James Patterson Alex Cross detective novel, not the Bible, not a single book.A new Associated Press-Ipsos poll concludes that one in four Americans did not read one book in the past year. The actual percentages are 73 percent who have read a book in the previous year, 27 percent had not. The poll's margin for error is three percent plus or minus.The figures
Poll: One in Four Americans Read No Books Last Year
The press is filled daily with news stories about J.K. Rowling, reportedly going from welfare to having more money than the Queen of England, about a controversial book from O.J. Simpson in which he supposedly offers a hypothetical scenario on how he would've murdered his wife, and about other books or book-related issues. But, despite all this attention to a major part of human intellectual life, most people are missing it.
25% DON'T READ BOOKS
The average person read four books, half read more, half fewer. Forty-one percent reported reading up to five books, 31 percent read between six and 15 books, and 27 percent read more than 15. The total number of books read rises to seven when you eliminate those who sad they had not read any books.
Leading the book-reading bunch are women and seniors. Top reading preferences during the year-long period were the Bible and religious works at 64 percent. That's followed by popular fiction and nonfiction history, each at 54 percent, nonfiction biography and mystery/thrillers each lock in at 48 percent, and romance novels at 21 percent. all categories of books beyond that are in the low single-digitis...business, politics, science fiction, fantasy, technical books, and poetry, among others.
WHY?
Almost anyone reading these statistics, including non-readers, will agree that this is not a good thing. Those same people will offer an assortment of reasons why people do not read. Even in casual conversation, many observe that they are "too busy" to read while many, if not most, naturally find competition for their attention from television, movies, and the computer.
Related information
- If Your Child Hates to Read: Books to Stimulate a Love for Reading and the Imagination www.associatedcontent.com/article/90174/if_yo
Most Comments Today
- Oh No! Michael Jackson's Body and Brain Missing Is Michael Jackson's body and brain missing? According to many websites they... 31 Comments
- Michael Jackson is Missing The casket is missing, where is it? How did it disappear? 31 Comments
- Sarah Palin 2012? Sarah Palin 2012? 29 Comments
- Hot News Quickies - Thursday, July 9, 2009 News happens while you sleep - get your Hot News Quickies here! 28 Comments
- Real Estate: Renting Your Home and Bad Tenants If you decide to rent out your home, do a thorough reference check with previ... 26 Comments
- Every Day Heroes At every disaster, in every community, when people are hurting who are the fi... 24 Comments





Posted on 09/01/2008 at 5:09:54 AM
Posted on 07/30/2008 at 12:07:20 AM
Posted on 04/25/2008 at 1:04:44 AM
Posted on 10/15/2007 at 11:10:00 PM
Nick Howes
Posted on 09/25/2007 at 6:09:00 AM
Alyce Rocco
Posted on 09/24/2007 at 3:09:00 PM
Linda Ann Nickerson
Posted on 09/16/2007 at 7:09:00 AM
Mahina
Posted on 09/16/2007 at 1:09:00 AM
Christine Kelly
Posted on 09/08/2007 at 10:09:00 AM
Sophie
Posted on 08/29/2007 at 1:08:00 PM